My Sister From Another Mister!

This is my sister in law, Vianney.

She is amazing, wonderful, SO funny, sweet, smart & is going to be SUCH an amazing mom! 

We have become fast friends since she married Adam's brother, Andrew & it's been so fun having another married in-law in the family to talk to and hang out with and talk about our crazy husbands. And just having fun at random stores...Like this one.

We thought this bra was SO funny and she thought it was huge enough to be a hat apparently (until I looked at the tag & it was the size I wear...I didn't think it was AS funny after that, but she still makes me laugh)

When we found out that we were pregnant & told Adam's family Christmas day, she was the MOST excited & cried with me cause frankly, I think she was just excited someone knew how she felt and could relate. She's had a rough pregnancy with her gallbladder and has been sick a lot. But is such an amazing woman. If you don't believe, just listen to her story. They found out they were pregnant a week after Andrew signed up for active duty in Afghanistan. Man! 

He left a little after Christmas & she has been such a trooper as he has been gone. So, when she asked me to be there to help her through labor...how could I say no?? This buddy of mine was in need & I couldn't imagine my husband not being there when I have our baby, so of course I said yes. She is due Feb 20th so I made plans to be off that day. Then, last week she asked me to take her to her doctor's appointment since every one of the Blain's was busy so I said of course! We even got Snocones afterwards! So fun! (Total Craving)

And this is how she looked when on that Friday the doctor told her she would be induced the following Wednesday (Feb 6th) so they could hurry & take out her gallbladder a few weeks later! Yep..we were both freaking out!

We freaked out but were SOOO excited!! We couldn't wait to meet him. Thank goodness we had her baby shower planned for the next day. I'm pretty proud of this beaut I made for her!

I love this girl so much! She is an amazing example of strength & conviction & I couldn't ask for a better friend in the family! Love you Vianney!!

The Day My Life Changed Forever...

November 20th, 2012---This is the day my life changed forever.
(Only continue to read if you want to know...I wanted to write this so I would have it for us & wanted to share with those I love that have been going through this with me..) 
Maybe I should back up just a little.
I have not been happy with my doctor I had because after we had been trying to get pregnant for a year, she said it wasn't long enough & to try another year. I felt like she just herded people in & I never really got her full attention. So a great friend of mine (Jenn Fearnley), after doing her hair one night, we got to talking about our situation & what was going on & a few days later, I get a call from her saying she found this doctor that specializes in PCOS & that she wasn't going that route for this pregnancy but she thought of me. AMAZING! Love her forever! So, I scheduled an appointment with him for Nov 6th. I went in, talked to him a while about PCOS (my issue...) and he was so great. Lots of answers...it was great. I really liked him. I felt like he actually cared. He had me do an ultrasound to make sure my ovaries were okay & they noticed a 2.5 mm cyst on my left ovary. The tech went to go get the doctor. I was clueless & thinking the worst of course...Tumor? Growth? I had no clue. A few minutes of silently freaking out later, he came back in & told me that cyst meant I was about to ovulate. He said "Go home & have sex tonight & every other night for a week..." I know! TMI...but I have to tell you that so you can appreciate that I had NEVER been given such blunt (due to the fact he was a man I'm sure) & direct instructions in MY LIFE!! It was awesome. No questions, no fuss...just follow directions. So we did. Back to date....

November 20th-I was going into Dr. Stinson's office for my second appointment with him to follow up to see if my cycle had started on it's own yet for that month seeing as how I've of course had unreliable issues in the past and it was nothing new in the first place. (He told me a few weeks earlier that he wanted to me to come in on that day since I would be due to start & he wanted to start me on the provera if I hadn't yet so I could start all the fertility treatments again...Provera, Clomid..etc.)

I came in, peed in a cup (always fun...). Then, he sent me in to do an ultra sound. My ovaries were normal. He came in, told me we were going to start all the fertility stuff seeing as how I didn't start on my own...AGAIN. So, he wrote me 4 prescriptions & as I was about to leave, the ultrasound tech ran in looking frantic & asked to speak to the doctor really quick. So...again...silent freak out mode...a few seconds later, he came back in & slid something across the counter & said "Well, I guess I'm going to be needing those prescriptions back..." It was this...

I immediately started BALLING! I couldn't believe it! "Are you serious??? Are you serious??" She said "I watched the test go all the way across & it was negative, & I came back in a few minutes later & they were BOTH postitive! I couldn't believe it!" So...I was still so early (like barely 2 days late) so of course he told me to not tell anyone & to come in the next couple weeks to make sure everything is okay. It was the greatest day of my life!! I came back to the office & luckily Ben was gone so he wouldn't be freaked out by my hysterical crying & I told Adam!! It was amazing!! I still can't believe it. I feel so blessed in my life right now. It truly changed my life...that day, I will always remember. 3 years of fasting, praying & pleading with the Lord to bless up with a baby and it was all COMPLETELY worth it! Just to hear those words...November 20th will go down in history for me. 

Where have all my good friends gone??

So, lately....everywhere I look I see this....

Or even harder is this one....

No joke! Since we've been trying to get pregnant, these almost 2 & 1/2 years, both of my sisters have started trying, become pregnant & both had babies, not to mention I've had 8 of my close girlfriends have babies or get pregnant as well. It's made things quite funny to me. Hopefully all these baby vibes will rub off on me sooner rather than later.
But, the hardest part of all of this is NOT that they've gotten pregnant or had sweet babies or meeting their sweet little things & loving each one of them....It's been that ever since this has happened, with each day that passes I keep losing more & more of my close girlfriends! THAT is the part that hurts so bad... I don't know why...it hasn't been anything I've said or done or felt because I LOVE hearing about all of their pregnancy issues or funny stories, or hearing all about the exciting new things their baby is doing & all the sweet or not so sweet little growing moments!! I have LOVED that! That's probably what's keeping me sane throughout this thing because it makes me SOOO happy for them!! Plus, you better BELIEVE when it happens to us, I'm going to be annoyingly posting every little milestone on facebook & screaming it from the rooftops!!!
But, when I'm going through the hardest time in my life & feeling the most "not in control" of my life, that's when I need my girlfriends the most & for some reason they've all stopped hanging out with me or talking to me. What is it? It's nothing I've done... Maybe it's just me, but just because you're at a different place in your life than me doesn't mean I can't be there for you & listen...I'm still the same person minus the craziness these fertility drugs make me feel a couple days out of the month. But, that's not it...I had a lady move into our ward the other day & we were talking with her & she was all talking & laughing & it was great getting to know her a little & then she asked if we had kids & we told her not yet & she just said "Oh...." and just walks the other way. Serious?! haha.
    Is there a "Mommies Only" club that I'm not aware of out there??

Eating my emotions....

So, as I look at this cupcake, hmmm....this cupcake isn't a baby....what am I hoping it's gonna do for me? Dude! I don't even LIKE cake?!?! What is going on?!?! Well, that would be the fact that because I had a bad day...finding out that after my first round of clomid (a fertility drug) and lots of lovin', I did not in fact ovulate this past cycle. Well, I'm SICK of it! I'm sick of being fat! I'm sick of worrying about a baby & I'm sick of not feeling like I belong in my body! I'm tired of swollen feet from crazy hormones & I'm tired of hormones affecting my weight like it has. I'm done blaming things & I'm just ready to kick butt! So, instead of using this blog to share nice things happening to me (there's not much else going on besides work & school & pure exhaustion) I'm going to use it to tell my story of what's going on with me & vent to myself a little bit (for all posterity to read later.....great). It's time for a little therapy for myself! I have stared at my LAST cupcake full of guilt & disapointment, self blaming & iced with a little self loathing for not being able get pregnant this last 2 & 1/2 years & I am going to get skinny! Haha. So...on to my diet....Woot woot!

Yay for iPhones!!

So I just wanted to thank my dear friend Kirie for letting us all know that Blogger has an iPhone app now!!! Sweet! Seeing as how I'm always on my phone & never at home anymore maybe I'll be better at posting!!

Just a quick update on us...Adam is graduated (since last December 2010) & after several short-lived, not the right fit, type jobs, he's now working at the great AAA Service Company for my dad & after a little adjusting & eternal perspective, he is very happy now. I'm working for Ben at Whole Health Chiropractic & love it. And also going to school at TN Academy of Cosmetology part time at night. I totally love it. It's so fun! Plus its a great distraction! We've also been trying to have a baby for about 2 & 1/2 years & no luck so far, but we're still hopeful. Obviously, I have lots to catch everyone up on but this is just for now! We're loving life & each other & are having a blast in this stage in our life! Here are some pics to update you for now! Graduation day & me in my stylin' scrubs with my new sweet nephew, McKay!

NEW BLOG ADDRESS!!

I created a new blog for just the deals!! Here it is...check it out!! :)

http://freememphisgroceries.blogspot.com/

Surprise Mud Pies - Hilarious!

I took this a while back on my phone & it still makes me laugh everytime I watch it. Here it Goes! Let me know what you think? AFV worthy? I think so....

Crafty Attempts

So, lately, I've been embracing the role of "homemaker" meaning that I have been "making stuff at home"! haha. And I have to tell you though beforehand, that I have NEVER been an crafty person...not artistic at all (except musically artistic) & I can't draw a lick so I never thought I'd like crafts because I never thought I'd be any good at them. Well, I've really been getting into them lately. Making something I'd put in my house out of nothing has become really fun for me. Here are a few things that I've done:

For Halloween:

My Terra-cotta Pot Mummies (not yet completely finished)

My Fall practically free table centerpiece:

(it doesn't show up well here, but I painted them with spray on silver glitter specs)

I have to find a cuter bowl, but this will do for now.

My other Pine cone door stopper:

My Awesome Garage Sale Find:

(the problem was they were all ugly booger green, so I had to do lots of work)

And this is the finished product. It's hard to see with the light from the window, but I painted them all Chocolate Brown.

It has been SOOO much fun!! :)

Catching Up....

So, I KNOW this looks familiar if you keep up with my blog....

Well, here is what happened about a week & a half before we left for Mexico & a couple days after my birthday & the day after Adam's.

2 wrecks in less than a year after never having a wreck before was TOO much! We were watching Josh that week while my parents were out of town for vacation & I had taken him to Seminary that morning & then was headed over to Meggan's house to babysit so she could help Ben at work. So, I was on Trinity & had just crossed over Germantown Parkway when a car about 3 cars up flipped a U-turn when he could've waited about 15 feet til the turning lane ahead, but he didn't. So, the Monte Carlo behind him slammed on his brakes, the silver truck behind him tapped him & then slammed on his brakes & my poor little car....I was sittin' so low that I couldn't see anything over the truck. So, I slammed on my brakes & they didn't stop fast enough, so I swerved as much as I could without hitting the traffic in the other lane & slammed into to truck. The damage on the truck was about the size of a golfball from my car but mine was totaled. SOOO....long story short....after some serious adjustments on my neck & back from Whole Health Chiropractic Center & once we got back from Mexico...I determined that I do NOT want to be in a tiny car at all anymore. So....here is what we got.... Check out my New Ride!!!

A 2003 Saturn Vue - 4 door - automatic windows & locks, music...and it's a BIG car!!! 

haha. I couldn't be more happy. Not to mention we got it for $6,000 & they gave us $4000 for my car that was totaled. What an awesome blessing. So, here it is! A blessing that started out as a trial. Love this life!! haha. And LOOOOOVE my new ride!!!

BeautiControl!!

For those of you that don't know it yet, I am a BeautiControl consultant. My job consists of pampering & loving on women & doing spa's. It's a blessed life for sure. I wanted to share a little something that I don't think I've shared yet...Because of BeautiControl & all the awesome things I've gotten, the most exciting thing right now that we are preparing for is the All-expense paid trip I earned for 2 to the Riviera Maya in Mexico!!

I could not be more excited!! I've never been out of the country so I'm in the process of getting my passport & it is so awesome. AND it happens to fall the weekend of our Anniversary of 2 years which was a HUGE bonus. I feel so blessed. I never thought in a million years that we, for our 2 year anniversary would be able to go to Mexico seeing how we could NEVER be able to afford it ourselves. So, obviously, you won't be surprised that I didn't have a grasp on what "all-expense paid" meant when I called the main office to ask about my plane ticket & they said "Lindsay, that's what all-expense paid trip for 2 means. We pay for your meals, your airfare, your suite, your activities & even give you spending money & matching luggage."

WOW! I was shocked. haha. So, here's a little info on our trip that is coming up quickly...

This is our suite that we are staying in that is over 1000 sq ft. which is bigger than our first apartment. haha. It's going to be incredible. But, I need your help...We get to choose between a bunch of activities & we're trying to decide. What do you think? Here are our choices...

Golfing with the President

The Tour of the Ancient Mayan Ruins

Xel-ha - A Huge Waterpark

A Tour through the Caverns

Ziplining above the jungle

What do you think? Let me know your choice & why so we can decide!

More updates soon! :)